How to Really Cut Government Spending

How to Really Cut Government Spending If the U.S. Congress is serious about cutting government spending, it must eliminate duplication, overlap, and fragmentation in federal programs. That was the message U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro had for Congress when he told lawmakers that as long as it keeps on spending more money than it collects, the federal government’s long-term fiscal outlook will remain â€Å"unsustainable.† The Extent of the Problem As Dorado told Congress, the long-term problem has not changed. Every year, the government spends more money on programs like Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment benefits than it takes in through taxes. According to the 2016 Financial Report of the U.S. Government, the federal deficit increased from $439 billion in fiscal year 2015 to $587 billion in fiscal 2016. Over the same period, a modest $18.0 billion increase in federal revenue was more than offset by a $166.5 billion increase in spending, mainly on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and interest on debt held by the public. The public debt alone rose as a share of gross domestic product (GDP), from 74%at the end of fiscal 2015 to 77% at the end of fiscal 2016. By comparison, the public debt has averaged only 44% of the GDP since 1946. The 2016 Financial Report, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) all agree that unless policy changes are made, the debt-to-GDP ratio will surpass its historical high of 106% within 15 to 25 years. Some Near-Term Solutions While long-term problems require long-term solutions, there are some near-term things Congress and the executive branch agencies can do to improve the governments fiscal condition without eliminating or severely cutting major social benefits programs. For starters, suggested Dodaro, addressing improper and fraudulent benefits payments and the tax gap, as well as dealing with duplication, overlap, and fragmentation in those programs. On May 3, 2017, the GAO released its seventh annual report on fragmentation, overlap, and duplication among federal programs. In its ongoing investigations, the GAO looks for aspects of programs that could save taxpayer money by eliminating: Duplication: circumstances in which more than one federal agency, or more than one organization within an agency, is involved in the same broad area of national need and opportunities for more efficient service delivery exist;Overlap: when multiple agencies or programs have similar or identical goals, engage in similar activities or strategies to achieve them, or target similar beneficiaries; andFragmentation: circumstances in which more than one federal agency is involved in the same broad area of national need. As a result of the agencies’ efforts to fix the cases of duplication, overlap, and fragmentation identified in the GAO’s first six such reports issued from 2011 to 2016, the federal government has already saved an estimated $136 billion, according to Comptroller General Dodaro. In its 2017 report, the GAO identified 79 new cases of duplication, overlap, and fragmentation in 29 new areas across the government such as health, defense, homeland security, and foreign affairs.   By continuing to address, duplication, overlap, and fragmentation, and without entirely eliminating a single program, the GAO estimates the federal government could save â€Å"tens of billions.† Examples of Duplication, Overlap, and Fragmentation A few of the 79 new cases of wasteful program administration identified by the GAO its latest report on duplication, overlap, and fragmentation included: Sexual Violence Data: The Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Justice (DOJ) currently manage at least 10 different programs indented to collect data on sexual violence. The duplication and fragmentation results on wasted effort and a lack of understanding of the scope of the problem in the United States.Federal Grants Awards: The National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Food and Nutrition Service, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lack processes to ensure that their grants do not fund duplicate or overlapping programs already being funded by other agencies.Foreign-Assistance Data Quality: As a key step to addressing the potential overlap in the collection and reporting of foreign-assistance information, the Department of State, in consultation with the U.S. Agency for International Development and OMB, needs to improve data quality to ensure consistency in publically available information on how foreign aid is distributed and used. Military Commissaries: By better managing and coordinating purchasing for it commissaries across all military branches, the Department ofDefense could save an estimated $2 billion.Storage of Defense and Commercial Nuclear Waste: By better coordinating the agencies collecting data and analyzing options for the permanent storage of military high-level nuclear waste and commercial spent nuclear fuel, the Department of Energy could potentially save tens of billions of dollars. Between 2011 and 2016, the GAO recommended 645 actions in 249 areas for Congress or executive branch agencies to reduce, eliminate, or better manage fragmentation, overlap, or duplication; or increase revenue. By the end of 2016, Congress and executive branch agencies had addressed 329 (51%) of those actions resulting in about $136 billion in savings. According to Comptroller General Dodaro, by fully implementing the recommendations made in the GAO’s 2017 report, the government could save â€Å"tens of billions more dollars.†

WAGNER Surname Meaning and Family History

WAGNER Surname Meaning and Family History From the Germanic Waganari, meaning wagon-maker or wagon driver, the common occupational surname Wagner was often given to one who transported produce or other goods via high-sided wagons or carts. Among some German populations, especially the Pennsylvania Germans, Wagner also denoted a wagon-maker, wainwright, or cartwright. Wagner is the 7th most common German surname  and 4th most common surname in Austria. Surname Origin: German, English Alternate Surname Spellings:  WAGGONER, WAGONER, WAGENER, WAEGENER, WAGNOR, WAGNER, WAGONNER, WEGENER, WEGNER, VAGNER, VEGENER, VEGNER   Famous People with the WAGNER  Surname Richard Wagner - 19th-century  German conductor and composerJack Wagner - American actor and musicianRobert Wagner - American actorAdolph Wagner - German economistArthur Wagner - Church of England clergyman in Brighton, East  SussexGeorge D. Wagner - Indiana politician and Civil War Union generalJohann Andreas Wagner - German palaeontologist and zoologist Where is the WAGNER Surname Most Common? According to surname distribution from Forebears, WAGNER is the 4th most common surname in both Germany and Austria. It is also fairly common in Luxembourg (5th),  Switzerland (55th), the United States (142nd), Denmark (178th) and Slovakia (363rd). WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates that the Wagner surname is especially common in Saarland, Germany, as well as in both Hungary and Gussing, Austria. It is also prevalent in the German states of Rheinland-Pfalz, Thà ¼ringen, Hessen and Bayern. Genealogy Resources for the Surname WAGNER Meanings of Common German SurnamesUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames. Wagner Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Wagner  family crest or coat of arms for the Wagner surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Wagner  Y-Chromosome DNA  Surname ProjectIndividuals with the Wagner surname are invited to participate in this group DNA project in an attempt to learn more about Wagner family origins. The website includes information on the project, the research done to date, and instructions on how to participate. History and Genealogy of the Wagner-Waggoner-Wagoner FamilyOnline digital version (free) of a 1941 book on the descendants of  John Waggoner, born in 1758 in Wasselonne, Alsace, France, who later immigrated to  Maryland. WAGNER  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Wagner  ancestors around the world. FamilySearch - WAGNER  GenealogyExplore over 3.7  million results from digitized  historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Wagner surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. WAGNER  Surname Mailing ListFree mailing list for researchers of the Wagner  surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages. DistantCousin.com - WAGNER  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Wagner. GeneaNet - Wagner  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Wagner  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Wagner Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Wagner  surname from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Buy me buy me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Buy me buy me - Essay Example Less focus on the school commercialization does not indicate an end to it, rather it can be an indication of increases acceptance of this marketing practice. Molnar’s audience here is the district governemnt, educational institutes, parents and students. Molnar also impliedly communicates to the community and government at large. In the article we find a lack of governmental policies and their implication along with a similar blind conscience of community. By making this deficiency apparent in his article, Molnar emphasizes for the promotion of an active resistance on all levels. His persuasive argumentation is casting a strong glimmer of reprimand for the advertising industries. The objective of the article is to evoke an active resistance against the school commercialism and to make it clear that school commercialism has not disappeared yet. In the support of his stance against the prevailing misperception, as he clarifies that it may have only been due to the acceptance of increasing commercialization in educational institutes, as he mentions that "Of particular note again this year was the lack of voice in the education media on commercializing activity in schools" (Molnar and Reaves, 2001). The article’s purpose also is to jolt the authorities of educational institutes and the district governments to stir their ethical educational conscience. The school marketing is misleading the young generation and thereby jeopardizing the future of our country. Molnar aims to highlight the still prevailing unworthy cost of such commercialization, as was the case of Philio Morriss textbook program that was advertising smoking at a subliminal level (Molnar and Reaves, 2001). The article intends to evoke awareness in schools and institutions against the persuasive strategies of the industries, to make the institutes aware of the meager benefits and abundant

Assessing an Organization's Effectiveness at Managing Diversity Research Paper

Assessing an Organization's Effectiveness at Managing Diversity - Research Paper Example The company on its 170th anniversary stands as a potential voice in the American economy with record breaking financial gain from the policy sales. The management of New York Life thanks the unshakable values like integrity, humanity, humanity and financial strength for all the achievements the company has gained so far (New York Life: â€Å"Celebrating 170 years of strength†). The Company provides its services by way of multiple insurance and investment products, all of them assuring the customer’s safety in choosing the smartest way they can secure their prospective life and save their hard-earned money. The official website of the company provides the most reliable and accurate details of the management and operations of the organization. It has an impressive design with provisions for information links and clearly authenticated access points. The homepage is attractive with the color combination of light oceanic blue and light grey on the background gives the texts an embossing effect while they are printed on the flash file format. Moreover, the literature of the documentations is highly attractive and pleasant even for the moderately educated readers. The details are easy to understand and the interactive language is transparent in nature. There is no complex intervention of legal terminology or technical jargons in the communicative language of the entire website of the company. These attributes give the advertisement a smart look and that is how the company succeeds in grasping the new customers’ attention. The Company believes in doing value-based business within the conceptual framework established by the mission statement and the value statements. The association of mission and values alone can take a company to the road of progress and sustainability especially when it deals with the public’s investment. New York Life Insurance Company identifies this and keeps trying to best incorporate the virtues of being the most reliable provider of

The World Turned Upside Down :: essays research papers

When the Europeans established colonies in the New World, they sought to convert the Indians way of civilization. Their obsession was to spread Christianity and their culture throughout all of the colonies including the Indian villages. Some Indian people accepted these traditions because they felt as if they had no where else to turn. When the settlers invaded the new land they brought with them many diseases which wiped out many Indian villages and tribes. The Indians also had a hard time excepting the invasions on new territories, which led to many wars. This resulted in a large decrease of the Indian population, so some Indians turned to Cristianity and other European traditions. On the otherhand, many Indians insisted that European beliefs should exist only amongst themselves. They had no business trying to introduce a new religion when the Indian's traditions have been practiced for years. The Indians during this time were forced to accept the Europeans establishing new territories, even if they did not belong to them. As the Indian populations continued to decrease, some Indians intermarried with the Europeans and even the Africans to try and boost the population once again. This of course produced mixed children who were confused and could not decide which culture they would accept. This mix of people changed the ways of living for the Native Americans as well as the Europeans throughout early America. It is obvious to me that land was the largest reason for war among the Indians and the Europeans. It was simple: the Indians did not want to give up their land that they had claimed for so many years to a bunch of irrogant settlers who take what ever they want. The English felt that God had granted them the land and the Indians should be removed. However, the Native Americans also wanted something from the new colonists, trade. The American Indians were great hunters who collected many furs that were valuable trade products. After time some Indian tribes grew in debt with the settlers and the only way they could pay their debts is by giving them land. That is where the Europeans and the Indian's attitudes differ over land. The Indians were willing to sometimes negotiate about certain territories, where most of the Europeans were going to take the land whether the Indians were going to cooperate or not. Battles often broke out when larger Indian tribes felt they could fight for their land. Sometimes they were able to defeat the English in battles, but most of the time they were out numbered. During this time the English were very greety.

The African-American Odyssey Essay

The emancipation of the African slave who was now disconnected from their traditions and way of life after nearly 300 years, is seemingly a great gush from the dam to the ebbs and flows of the struggle. The end of slavery as we know it, presented a ball of mixed emotions among the nation; North and SOUTH. Some slaves were grossly ecstatic to be free. For example, when a slave girl named Caddy, from Goodman, Mississippi found she was free, went to her mistress, flipped up her dress and told her â€Å"Kiss my ass! † On the contrary, some slaves were apprehensive of being free. For example, one elderly slave woman reportedly said, â€Å"I ain’ no free nigger! I is got a marster and mistiss! Dee right dar in de great house. Ef you don’ believe me, you go dar an’ see. † Though most slaves were detached from their families, many managed to regroup and find their love ones after their emancipation and constructed close knit families. Land was an viable means of survival in the minds of newly freedmen and the government was eager to deem lands to the ex-slaves . On January 16, 1865, General William T. Sherman told the freedmen that they will receive the land they were in search of. They were granted the head of each family would receive â€Å"possessory title† to forty acres of land. Sherman also gave the use of Army mules, thus giving rise to the slogan, â€Å"Forty acres and a mule. † Similarly in 1862 the Union military set aside land in Port Royal, South Carolina, which became known as the Port Royal experiment. The freedmen bureau was created to aid newly freed slaves in the transition from bondage to freedom in 1865. After Lincoln’s assassination the succession of his Vice president, Andrew Johnson, to the presidency meant that the white owners of the lands, that were given to the freedmen, would be returned. Sharecropping became a sort of ebb in the river of the African-American progression as far as freedom was concerned. Presented as labor contracts by white land owners, the institution of slavery was extended under a cloud of debt. In which, the black family, oft times became debtors due to the lack of honesty on the account of their white lender. Aside from family, among African-Americans, the â€Å"black church† became the most important institution. â€Å"Not only did it fill deep spiritual and inspirational needs, it offered enriching music, provided charity and compassion to those in need, developed community and political leaders, and was free of white supervision. † With the end of slavery, blacks who then had to attend services with white parishioners who treated them as second class Christians, could now organize and attend their own churches. The advent of the black church definitely brought about a flow in the river of struggle for African-Americans. Education was another â€Å"flow† in the river of struggle and a critical means of survival amongst people of color. It coincided alongside freedom. All who were versed in education of all sorts were summoned to teach the freedmen and their children. Teachers from all walks showed. Classes were held in churches, old slave markets, stables, taverns, homes, and former slave cabins. Funding came from various religious and political organizations and the Freedmen’s Bureau. Although white teachers helped a bit, black teachers were praised throughout the negro community because, as Rev. Richard H. Cain said â€Å", We must take into our own hands the education of our race†¦ Honest, dignified whites may teach ever so well, but it has not the effect to exalt the black man’s opinion of his own race, because they have always been in the habit of seeing white men in honored positions, and respected. † Most colleges and universities for blacks taught elementary and secondary level curriculum. The introduction of the historically black colleges and universities was formed from the idea of a higher education for people of color. In the midst of the newfound freedom, religious organization, and education of Negroes which was an obvious â€Å"flow†, a reoccurring â€Å"ebb† presented itself in the form of violence. Justice for the black man was never considered in those times. Thousands of innocent African-Americans were heinously murdered without a single conviction of a white perpetrator whom committed the acts. Atop the murders, black towns, businesses, churches, and schools were destroyed at the hands of the angry white southerners. The Failure of Reconstruction For the first time ever in history, a group of black men had concurrently became politicians. They were joined by the carpetbaggers of the north and the scalawags of the south in the Republican constituency. â€Å"Of the 1,000 men elected as delegates to the ten state conventions, 265 were black. † Collectively, they drafted new, striking constitutions that, unlike the previous constitutions, allowed all men to vote; even the ex-Confederates. Although, the Republicans displayed compassion upon their dealings with their opponents, the unruly Southern ego rose once more against the ratification of the new constitutions. In due course, the majority did manage to ratify and in each state, black men were elected to offices. As time progressed, nearly 1,500 black men were in office around the throughout the south. Among those were the likes of Blanche K. Bruce, Hiram R. Revels, Joseph Rainey, Jonathan J. Wright, Francis L. Cardozo, Robert Smalls, and Ferdinand Havis. This was a â€Å"flow† that led to inevitable â€Å"ebb† in the river of fight for African-Americans. That ebb presented itself in the form of the gradual failure of reconstruction. Issues such as education, social welfare, civil rights, land, and businesses plagued the Republican frame of thought daily. The black leaders’ efforts to facilitate education throughout the black and poor white communities failed overall. Lack of funds is the greatest blame for the inconsistency. At the time, there were no segregation laws, but whites refused to let their children go to school with blacks. Though a valid effort amongst African-Americans was given toward civil rights, they did not receive the respect that every other law abiding citizen received. For example, they were not accommodated at hotels and on public transportation, nor were they served as paying customers at various businesses. The blacks who worked for the white landowners were being cheated daily as if they were still in captivity. White employers would either fire the worker before the harvest or make up outlandish fees and debts. Some just didn’t pay at all! Black leaders grew tired of the robbery and made laws to eliminate such happenings. The distribution of land amongst landless, yeomen, farmers didn’t happen in any other state but South Carolina. Over fourteen thousand black families and a few white families, received land. Black businesses, unfortunately, did not and could not flourish due to the lack of funds during the expanding of the railroad. Other businesses made handsome amounts of profit but the African-American business owners could not cash in. Black politicians laid the foundation for public assistance, education, criminal justice reform but, could not do anything that directly dealt with â€Å"their people. † Reason being, was that they were the minority in the Republican party and in fact, were not allowed to ratify their own agenda. Besides, they couldn’t agree on most things because they came from different walks of life. Bickering throughout the Republican party sparked a â€Å"high turnover in political leadership and the loss of that very economic security? This made for inexperienced leadership and added to Republican woes. † Opposition came to the party in various ways; Such as, the conservative Democrats who continued to heckle blacks who in any way participated in the political process and the Ku Klux Klan. The Klan, was founded in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1866, by ex-confederate soldiers who were â€Å"hell-bent† on eradicating and/ or terrorizing anyone who didn’t submit to â€Å"southern culture. † They used any means necessary to remove blacks from politics. The Enforcement Act of 1870 was passed to prohibit Klansmen from wearing their regalia in public and protected the civil rights of black citizens. The following year the Ku Klux Klan Act was passed and it made the interference of a persons’ right to vote, hold office, jury duty and equal protection a federal offense. The fifteenth amendment was passed in 1869, and later ratified in 1870. It clearly expressed â€Å"the right to vote† to all citizens but failed to address the literacy tests, property possession rule, or the poll tax that continued to plague voters. Radical Republicans and northern whites alike grew exhausted with the dependency of blacks, (as they saw it) and looked upon them as unfit to be involved in the political system. They thought that reconstruction had been a mistake. The Freedmen’s Bank was founded in 1865 and done well until the white board of directors foolishly invested in Washington, D. C. real estate. The Panic of 1873 brought about a significant loss in unsecured railroad loans. As a result, the bank closed in 1874. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 was an act of good intentions, yet it was ruled unconstitutional by U. S. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Bradley who, â€Å"wrote that the Fourteenth Amendment protected black people from discrimination by states but not by private businesses. † The end of Reconstruction was as brutal and contentious as the beginning. Blacks refused to vote in response to the terrorism inflicted upon them by the southern Democrats. The withdrawal of the federal troops that were to protect the rights of colored people left the black citizens with no means of defense and they therefore had to bow down to the numerous massacres that were to occur. The compromise of 1877, in which, Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Haynes, ran for the presidency, brought about more violence towards blacks and grew worse as time passed.

Sperry Public Schools Belong At The Sperry School District

Sperry Public Schools belong to the Sperry school district. The district’s located in Sperry, Oklahoma. Sperry houses a small rural community in the northeastern part of the state situated ten miles north of Tulsa. Sperry’s population ranges around 5,735 people with about 1,200 students of Sperry Public Schools. Eighty-five percent of the population commute to Tulsa to work calling Sperry a bedroom community. The town lodges an active retirement community as well as a working community. The community supports the school system through various ways such as attending sporting events, assemblies, etc. The Sperry Ministerial Alliance supports teachers, staff, and students by attending events, supplying food for conferences and professional development, and giving gifts. Sperry began as a post office in the Cherokee Nation established on May 17, 1902. The first school erected around 1908-1909. The erection of the three room building took place south of highway eleve n and about a hundred yards west of Sperry Lake. The school employed three teachers, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Estelle and Mrs. B.H. Humphrey, who all took on part-time positions. Few students attended the school at this time. In 1915, Sperry erected a second school building made of brick. It stood on the present site of the R.L.D.S Church (Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). In 1920, after the first school burned, Sperry erected another brick building just a few feet west of theShow MoreRelatedSperry Public Schools Belong At The Sperry School District Essay961 Words   |  4 Pages Sperry Public Schools belong to the Sperry school district. The district’s located in Sperry, Oklahoma. Additionally, Sperry houses a small rural community situated ten miles north of Tulsa in the northeastern part of the state. Sperry’s population ranges around 5,735 people with about 1,200 students of Sperry Public Schools. Eighty-five percent of the population commute to Tulsa to work calling Sperry a bedroom community. However, the town lodges an active retirement community as wellRead MoreFootwear Industries in Bangladesh: Problems Prospects.17204 Words   |  69 PagesDev 595 Supervised Research Paper Footwear Industries in Bangladesh: Problems Prospects. PREPARED FOR : P rofessor A. K. M. Atiqur Rahman, Ph.D. Instructor : Dev 595 Dean, School of Arts and Social Sciences SUBMITTED BY : A bu Tariq Mohammad Zaki ID # 041-439-551 November 27th, 2012. North South University FOOTWEAR INDUSTRIES IN BANGLADESH: PROBLEM S PROSPECTS. TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS Executive Summary 1. Introduction 1.1 Origin o f the Report 1.2 Objectives 1.3 Scope 1.4 DefinitionsRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesinto Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Dutch. We are grateful for the assistance of many dedicated associates who have helped us continually upgrade and enhance Developing Management Skills. These include Nancy Keesham and Don Clement, both of the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, for their work on the supplement on making oral and written presentations; Gretchen Spreitzer of the University of Southern California for her work on the chapter on gaining power and influence; Richard M. Steers ofRead MoreManaging Information Technology (7th Edition)239873 Words   |  960 PagesBAT Taiwan: Implementing SAP for a Strategic Transition CASE STUDY III-7 A Troubled Project at Modern Materials, Inc. CASE STUDY III-8 Purchasing and Implementing a Student Management System at Jefferson County School System CASE STUDY IV-1 The Clarion School for Boys, Inc.– Milwaukee Division: Making Information Systems Investments CASE STUDY IV-2 FastTrack IT Integration for the Sallie Mae Merger CASE STUDY IV-3 IT Infrastructure Outsourcing at Schaeffer (A): The